2004: Illinois' leader in tackles with 87, averaging 7.9 tackles per game on the season (ranks 11th in Big Ten) ... Led team in tackles for second straight season ... Leads the team in sacks with four ... Registered seven tackles in season finale at Northwestern, including one tackle for loss ... Recorded seven tackles, one TFL and one QBH vs. Indiana ... Had two sacks, eight tackles and a QBH vs. Iowa ... Recorded eight tackles, a sack and a quarterback hurry vs. Michigan ... Tied for team lead with 10 tackles at Wisconsin, along with one PBU and one quarterback hurry ... Nine tackles and one PBU vs. Purdue ... Had a season-high 13 tackles to lead Illini vs. Western Michigan ... Eight tackles and one TFL vs. UCLA ... Led Illini with eight tackles, two TFLs, one sack and a hurry vs. Florida A&M ... Made six tackles vs. Minnesota ... Has nine career games with 10 or more tackles ... Moved to outside linebacker after playing middle last season ... Moved from middle linebacker to outside linebacker.

2003: Earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors ... First on team in tackles with 129 ... Led the Big Ten in tackles during conference games with 98 and finished third overall ... Set a career-high in tackles with 21 vs. Wisconsin ... Had double-digits in tackles each of the final four games and six times overall ... Made seven tackles and had two sacks at UCLA ... Recorded 17 tackles vs. Minnesota ... Posted 14 tackles at Iowa ... Made 10 tackles and had a sack at Indiana ... Opened the season with 12 tackles, one sack and one quarterback hurry vs. Missouri ... Had a forced fumble at Purdue ... Led the team in tackles three times ... Started every game at linebacker ... Rushed for five yards and a first down on a fake punt vs. Northwestern.

2002: Started the final eight games of the year at linebacker ... Finished the season fourth in tackles with 56, five of which were tackles-for-loss ... Had eight tackles, two TFL's and a sack in the season finale vs. Northwestern ... His five TFL's were fourth on the team ... Posted three tackles against Wisconsin ... Recorded seven tackles vs. Penn State ... Had 11 tackles and two TFL's against Michigan ... Had eight solo tackles vs. Purdue ... Led the team with seven tackles in win over Arkansas State.

2001: Saw time at linebacker and as a member of the special teams as a true freshman ... Played in the final 11 games of the season ... Recorded a career-high two stops at Michigan ... Also recorded tackles vs. Louisville, Indiana, Wisconsin and Purdue.

High School: Earned three football letters under Coach Gary Kornfeld at St. Louis University High School ... Honorable mention All-USA team by USA Today ... Recorded 121 solo tackles, 14 assists, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions ... Averaged 12 tackles a game ... Conference Player of the Year ... Named the SuperPrep Midwest Defensive Player of the Year ... SuperPrep All-American ... St. Louis Post-Dispatch Metro Defensive Player of the Year ... Prep Star All-American ... Recorded 25 catches for 530 yards as a tight end ... Ended career second on SLUH career tackles list ... Helped lead team to two district championships ... Selected to play in the Missouri Lions All-Star Game ... Team reached 5A state semifinals as a junior ... Also earned three letters in basketball.

Personal: Full name is Matthew Christopher Sinclair ... Born July 24, 1982 ... The son of Carol Sinclair ... Majoring in speech communication ... Favorite Fighting Illini athlete is Dick Butkus and favorite athlete is London Fletcher, the St. Louis Rams linebacker who has persevered despite his 5-9 height ... Was involved in mentoring program for young children, serves as secretary for SLUH Cultural Enrichment Program and as a Student Ambassador ... Did not play organized football until high school ... Wants to own a restaurant following graduation ... Scholar-Athlete finalist four consecutive years and was on the honor roll every semester of high school.